What were you doing when you were 19? Because Vitalik Buterin was already rewriting the history of the internet.
At that age, this young Russian-Canadian prodigy turned down a job offer from Google, dropped out of the University of Waterloo (yes, as an honor student!), and bet everything on a revolutionary idea: creating a platform where anyone could build decentralized applications without relying on banks or governments.
Backed by the Thiel Fellowship (US$100,000), he founded Ethereum in 2014 and wrote its famous white paper, which today serves as the backbone of the DeFi, NFT, Web3 gaming, and smart contract ecosystems.
But it didn't stop there...
🧠 From precocious genius to millionaire philanthropist
At 27, he became a billionaire thanks to the success of Ethereum. His public wallet confirmed it. But what he did next broke the mold of the typical crypto millionaire:
🔸 Donated over US$1,000,000,000 in crypto to charity.
🔸 Among that, it transferred over 50 billion Shiba Inu (SHIB) tokens to India's COVID-19 relief fund.
🔸 He also supported causes such as medical research (Methuselah Foundation), pandemic prevention, the Future of Life Institute, and animal welfare.
Yes, you read that right: when many would have "held it," he gave away some of the hype to save lives. His gesture with Shiba Inu, which was originally an internet joke, ended up making history in crypto altruism. 🐶💸
📌 Why does it matter?
Vitalik didn't just invent something brilliant; he lived his purpose with consistency. He preferred to use his influence to create impact, not just wealth.
At just 31 years old today, he remains one of the most respected figures in the industry. His approach combines technology with human values, making him more than just a programmer: he's one of the minds shaping the decentralized future.
💬 FenixBrun Chile's reflection with its own shine:
Sometimes it's not about having millions in your bank account, but rather millions of reasons to leave your mark.
Vitalik understood this at 19. And you, what are you creating today?
FenixBrun Chile with its own shine ✨️✨️